Abstract

Abstinence-only education programs have been gaining in popularity since passage of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, which allocated $50 million annually over the course of five years for programs that promote abstinence and do not discuss contraception. While the Bush administration accelerated this trend by dramatically increasing federal funding for abstinence-only education programs, many critics, including organizations such as the American Medical Association, argue that such programs do not work and should be shelved in favor of “comprehensive” sex education curricula that emphasize safer sex practices and contraception. The public debate over which form of sex education should be taught in American schools affects nearly everyone and touches on a wide array of issues including the “epidemic” of sexually-transmitted disease afflicting American teens, effectiveness of various programs, cultural aspects of sexuality, and the role of religion in public life. To explore these issues in a deliberative and pedagogical setting, the University of Pittsburgh’s William Pitt Debating Union hosted a debate on abstinence-only sex education. Each side in the debate features a prominent expert in the field paired with an accomplished student intercollegiate debater. A panel of questioners include Erika Herald, Miss America 2003. The debate is moderated by Dr. Gordon R. Mitchell, Associate Professor of Communication and Director of Debate at the University of Pittsburgh.